Injured Brown in doubt for Leipzig game, says Rodgers
BRENDAN Rodgers last night revealed Scott Brown is a major doubt for the Europa League match against RB Leipzig in German on Thursday after the Celtic captain limped off against Hibernian.
Brown returned from three weeks out with a hamstring injury yesterday, but only lasted 21 minutes in a Ladbrokes Premiership game at Parkhead which the Scottish champions won 4-2 to move into second spot in the table.
Rodgers was unsure if it was the same i ssue that has kept the midfielder out previously – he will be assessed by Celtic medical staff in the coming days to determine the problem – but admitted he was in danger of missing the Group B game in the Red Bull Arena.
He said: “I’d think so. It looked a sore one when he was coming off, so I just have to wait and see on that.
“You know what he’s like. He’s a warrior and will do everything he can to be there. We won’t know until a couple of days.
“He looked like he was struggling. He wasn’t going to do himself or the team any favours, he was struggling to get about.
“We’ll see how he is in a couple of days’ time. I don’t know if it’s the same injury.
“He thought it was maybe his calf and he then maybe his knee. ”
Elsewhere, Rodgers confirmed that Leigh Griffiths, who missed yesterday’s match due to a calf injury and illness, is also a doubt for the Leipzig game.
“He got injured early on in the week staying back to get fit and he’s been ill the last three days so we’re hoping both can be cleared up for some point this week, but we just have to wait and see,” he said.
Callum McGregor took over from Brown in the centre of the park – as he had in the 6-0 triumph against St Johnstone earlier this month – after his skipper left the field and acquitted himself well.
“He was brilliant,” he said. “There’s only one problem when you move Callum McGregor, you want Callum McGregor to be in the other position.”
THE loss of talismanic captain Scott Brown to injury could be a blow to Celtic’s hope of progressing to the knockout rounds of the Europa League .
Brown was conspicuous by his absence in the 3-1 defeat to Salzburg in Austria at the start of this month. Not having him available to face RB Leipzig in Germany on Thursday will significantly reduce their chances of both getting a result and going through to the last 32.
Yet this was a game which underlined that Brendan Rodgers’s men have put their decidedly unimpressive early-season form firmly behind them and stay strong favourites to keep the Scottish title, as well as their other trophies, in the months ahead.
Losses to Hearts and Kilmarnock, a draw against St Mirren in the league, and a strong start by Hearts and Hibernian, had led to speculation their domestic dominance could be coming to an end.
But they were far more like their old selves here. James Forrest, Olivier Nthcam and Tom Rogic were all magnificent, and Odsonne Edouard netted twice too.
The game was far closer than it should have been due to the secondhalf goals they conceded to Florian Kamberi and Martin Boyle. Work certainly still remains to be done. But the margin of victory could and should have been greater.
Rodgers was unable to disguise his satisfaction at the end of 90 minutes which were a fine advertisement for the Scottish game. “I thought we were outstanding,” he said after his team had moved ahead of their opponents on points and Kilmarnock on goal difference into second position.
“Overall, we scored four goals, hit the woodwork four times and had other opportunities where, with a bit more finesse, we could have finished the game. It was a wonderful attacking performance and we put a lot of work into our pressing, which is very important against a good Hibs team.
“I thought the rhythm and speed in our game was back. We’ve seen it coming over the last weeks, which was highlighted against St Johnstone. It was really pleasing to have that fluency and combination play.”
Hibernian were certainly disappointing. They gave their rivals some difficult games last term and, having beaten Hamilton 6- 0 at home a fortnight earlier, travelled to Glasgow with high hopes doing the same again. But they only really came to life after half-time and by then they had left themselves too much to do.
There was an early indication that this was not the Hibs side that had won its previous four league games after they were awarded a free-kick just outside the Celtic area in only the second minute. Stevie Mallan, normally deadly from such distances, hooked his attempt well wide. Their hosts had soon assumed control.
Celtic took the lead with a wellworked goal in the eighth minute. Mikael Lustig fed Tom Rogic from his position on the right touchline. His team mate cut inside and played a deft one- two with James Forrest before curling a delightful left-footed shot beyond Adam Bogdan.
Forrest and Rogic, two players whose return to form in recent weeks has coincided with an upturn in the performances of their side, combined to set up Olivier Ntcham for a second in the 19th minute.
Shortly after the celebrations had subsided a sore-looking Brown was replaced by Scott Sinclair. Callum McGregor dropped into his deeplying midfielder role and Celtic continued to dominate. Rodgers’s men should really have had the three points sewed up by half-time.
McGregor struck the top of the crossbar from distance with a freekick, Edouard hit the right upright and Sinclair volleyed against the left post with an inviting empty net beckoning.
Hibernian, perhaps sensing a halftime rollicking from their manager, who cut a highly agitated figure in the technical area, finished the first-half strongly.
Craig Gordon did well to first keep out a swerving Mallan effort and then tip a Martin Boyle header out for a corner after an Efe Ambrose delivery into his penalty box.
Hibs pulled a goal back in the 63rd minute after Daryl Horgan supplied Florian Kamberi. The Swiss forward did superbly to steady himself and whip a unstoppable shot beyond Gordon and into the top right corner.
But Celtic had forged two in front again just seven minutes later thanks to the powerful running of Forrest. The winger barged his way past Mark Milligan and got to the goal line before cutting back to Edouard. The striker made no mistake.
Perhaps anticipating his side had
I thought the rhythm and speed was back. It was really pleasing